So. I did something out of total desperation — I called the airline and made up an elaborate family emergency lie and pleaded and really played it up and got the woman to change our flights without charging us. Basically we were booked on a flight the next evening at 6pm and she just booked us on the 6pm flight that same day.

Today we had an easy afternoon flight from Dublin. We landed in NYC at 6pm and weren’t too messed up from jetleg — it’s easier going this way and with the shorter flight. It was 6pm NYC time and only 11pm Dublin time so we weren’t totally fried yet. From the airport we took a train to Grand Central Station and had dinner at our favorite buffet around the corner.